Northwest Elementary School

Hutchings Herald

February 15, 2024

Dear Hutchings Community,

 

I typically like a solid cohesive message in Hutchings Herald newsletters, but I've got a few separate ideas to share in this edition.

 

The last time I sent an email to everyone, it was with news of our Rock Wall in the gymnasium. I asked you to help your students with expectations for our new wall, and I want to thank all of you for having them. I really want to celebrate Mr. Joe Adam, our wonderful PE teacher, for quickly making this an activity our students had access to. He set some really clear expectations and effortlessly worked climbing opportunities into his day! 

 

I'd be really excited to show Sensei Sam our new wall, too. I think it fits in nicely with his messages to us about bravery: "Every time I run away from a fear, all my fears get bigger. But every time I face my fear, I get bigger." Sensei will pay another visit to our students on March 8. In his next two visits to Hutchings, he'll talk about the values of discipline and humility. Once again, I want to celebrate all of our fantastic teachers who continue to reinforce Sensei's lessons between these visits.

 

One cool feature to appear soon in upcoming editions of The Hutchings Herald will be contributions from some student writers! I'm happy to share my perspective on all of the activities around Hutchings. I always appreciate the contributions from our counselor, Ms. Kristen Hogan and the district's updates that Mr. Tom Gould provides. I just really like the idea of sharing some student perspectives in upcoming issues of The Herald!

 

Please don't forget to read the "Counselor's Connect" below! It's one I plan to share with my kids, too.

 

Have a wonderful weekend with some extra days with your loved ones! 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Ben Malecki

Principal

District Updates:

 

Begindergarten and Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-2025 School Year

Begindergarten and Kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school is now open at HowellSchools.com/KDG . Join us on March 7, 6-7 p.m., for an informative night at your child's elementary school to meet educators and explore the school. Additionally, we're accepting applications for Academia Bilingüe's Spanish immersion kindergarten class until March 22. Discover the bilingual journey at HowellSchools.com/DualLanguage and attend the parent night on February 21 at Three Fires Elementary to learn more. 

 

New Offering from ParentGuidance.org

Thanks to our partnership with ParentGuidance.org, we are pleased to offer families in Livingston County a new initiative called "Ask a Therapist Live." This is a no-cost event designed specifically for families in our community. "Ask a Therapist Live" provides an opportunity to receive expert answers to any questions you might have about your child's mental health or your parenting journey. You can submit your questions anonymously via the webinar chat or through their interactive tools. Alternatively, you may choose to listen to questions from other parents and the responses provided by our live therapist. The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, February 21, at 8 p.m. Please register at https://bit.ly/49bJ9la. To learn more about "Ask a Therapist Live,” please visit https://bit.ly/48iX9bu. 

Counselor's Connect: Helping Kids with Friendship

Research shows that friendships are critical for social and emotional health: they can decrease stress and tension, help us develop empathy, and strengthen our defenses. To kids, though, choosing friends is a little simpler - they likely connect with people they have the most fun with. For a child, having even one good, dependable friend can make a huge difference! Similarly, when those friendships change, children can really feel a sense of loss. 

There are three basic, social skills that are critical for making and keeping friends, whether you are 5 or 55:

• Breaking the ice with kids/people you have not met before
• Acting positively and appropriately with others
• Managing conflicts/problems constructively

We are often very vigilant in helping our kids master concepts in math or reading, but we often forget to teach behaviors. Here are some strategies for teaching these important friendship skills to our children:

1. First and foremost, do a self-assessment and make sure you are modeling and showing the behaviors we are hoping to see in our children! Do you make friendships a priority? Are you friendly to new people? Are you open-minded and respectful when problems arise with others?

2. Pay close attention to how your child behaves with same-age peers. Point out his/her strengths (“I noticed you let Lilly go first - that was very thoughtful!” or “When Stuart tried to argue with you, you calmly walked away - that was a good choice.”).

3. Similarly, take note of what skills s/he needs to practice. For instance, does your child often interrupt others or boss them around? Is your child shy and afraid to try new activities, or hesitant to join a group?

4. Once you identify what your child needs to work on, come up with creative ways to practice the skill. When it’s not the heat of the moment, talk about what that skill looks like. Go to the park and role play different scenarios. Check out books from the library that illustrate children using these skills. At the least, talk with your child about your strengths and weaknesses, and work together to form and strengthen your personal relationships together. Lastly, be patient. Teaching social skills takes time and lots of practice. 

Thanks!

Kristen Hogan

Husky Skate Night!

 

February 22nd at RollerRama

Hutchings PTO presents Husky Skate Night on February 22nd from 6 - 9 pm!

 

Please review this information flier! We hope to see you skating! (or watching!)

 

Husky Skate Night

 

Hutchings Elementary School

3503 Bigelow Rd., Howell, MI 48855

Phone 517.540.8081 | Fax 517.234.6075